China will eliminate poverty among the ethnic minorities with smaller population in about five years, said Yang Jianqiang, vice minister of the State Ethnic Affairs Commission, on Tuesday.

At a press conference of the Information Office of the State Council, Yang said the ethnic minorities with smaller population are still backward in terms of the general level of economic and social development.

The 22 ethnic minorities with smaller population in China, who are facing many problems of development, should be given special attention, said Yang.

"For the 640 administrative villages inhabited by ethnic minorities with smaller population, departments concerned should make plans for each village, give aid one by one, and improve them one by one, so as to change these villages by stages and in groups," Yang added.

Source: Xinhua